Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Protagonist is the Villain
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The second guy's proposal was this: rush straight to the lord's mansion right now, reveal the boss's location, and request a bandit subjugation.
No matter how many more years they kept banditry up, there wouldn't be another chance at treatment like this. Better to side with the lord, take the boss's head, and reap the rewards.
Word was, this Lord Lucius was the son of a former hero party member and a half-elf to boot. No matter how strong the boss was, he'd be done in one shot against a guy like that.
The second guy's idea was perfectly reasonable. But the ever-worried third guy had to poke holes in it.
"What if we lose?"
The second guy hadn't even considered the boss beating Lucius. Sure, the boss was strong, but his opponent was the descendant of that fearsome hero party. No mere bandit stood a chance. He didn't bother refuting the nonsense. It wasn't worth the breath.
"What do you think happens if the lord catches us selling this stuff?"
"We die?"
"Exactly, kid. We die if we sit tight, die if we sell. Better to stab the lord in the back? Nah, stabbing the boss in the back and starting fresh sounds way better, right?"
"Still, if we screw up with the boss, it's terrifying. That lord seems soft-hearted. What if he forgives the bandit leader and lets him go? What happens to us then?"
"What can we do about it?"
Even the second guy was stumped by the third's point. If the lord forgave the boss, wouldn't that be the end for them? No guarantee the boss wouldn't come down to the village like they did if forgiven. And if they went to capture him and somehow he slipped away? They'd bear the consequences.
"Let's wait it out for now. He'll contact us eventually."
So the second guy threw out a fallback plan. Wait and see. The boss would reach out directly, and they'd follow his orders. If it seemed too unreasonable, betray him. If it looked profitable, stick with the boss. And so, the four bandits waited for word from their leader.
Meanwhile, these four who had decided to live peacefully for now had one mandatory task to earn recognition as village members: Lord Lucius's special order. Once a week, they had to attend lessons at the Great Heavenly God Church in the village center.
The Great Heavenly God Church preached that one must not bully the weak, and that even evildoers could find salvation through repentance. Today's stern-faced pastor was passionately preaching on the importance of reflection and atonement.
The second guy thought the church's doctrines were a load of crap. He'd once tried to be kind and good to others, working harder than anyone in his old territory. But what came back? Unfair taxes and highborn gazes that treated people like bugs.
It had been over ten years since he fled that territory and joined the bandits, but he'd never heard of divine punishment striking his hometown or the lord dropping dead. Not even tales of repentance.
Every year, folks fled the tyrannical lord's lands endlessly, and some ended up in the boss's bandit crew. The third, fourth, fifth—they'd all joined the same way.
What good was reflection? What good was atonement? Whether you atoned or got your limbs hacked off and died, the neighboring lord lived fat. The world was ruled by the rich, plain and simple. The second guy's lip curled in a sneer. Cynical thoughts dominated his mind.
"Today, brothers and sisters moved by the Great Heavenly God Church have gathered here, repenting their sins."
The pastor pointed at the bandit crew as he spoke. Half-dozing fifth guy, fourth guy pretending to read his book, second and third—all snapped their heads up to stare at the pastor. Eyes from the congregation poured onto them.
The pastor gestured for them to stand.
The second guy shook his head. The pastor smacked his lips and narrowed his eyes. He went on, citing examples of repentant bandits who had turned good, explaining how vital it was to live righteously. Thieves becoming landowners with big houses and fields—what a wonderful thing.
The second guy just waited for the tiresome village drama to end.
After the sermon, the orange-haired young nun led the collection. Hands stretched out here and there, offering coins scraped together penny by penny. The bandit crew, second guy included, refused to contribute. The nun said,
"Please show even a little sincerity. The reason you're able to sit here today is all because..."
"Yes, ma'am."
Hating to hear the lecture drag on, the second guy flicked a coin. It bounced off the nun's chest and landed neatly in the collection plate with a cheerful clink. Seeing it, the others started snickering. The second guy smirked at the nun.
That nun. She'd been right there beside the lord when he wanted them dead.
"Something not to your liking?"
"Nah."
The second guy shook his head. The nun didn't press further. She seemed like she had more to say, but the pastor pulled her away. He muttered something to her, and she frowned, shaking her head.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ That evening back home, a full week later, the four bandits finally got contact from the boss. The messenger was Clebang, the fleet-footed "mountain hare" of the crew. He hopped onto their table and jabbed a finger at them.
"Traitors."
"Wait, hear us out first."
The second guy jumped in desperately. Clebang waved the dagger in his hand, pointing it at each of them before hurling it at the fifth guy. It whistled right over his head, making him flinch and shrink back.
"Explain. Quick."
"We were gonna come back. But if we show up and liquidate everything right away, what'll the lord think? This house and the farm income are too good to just ditch and run, right?"
"Then why no word to us?"
"Figured you'd come like this if we waited. Why would we betray you?"
"Right. You guys got pride. You came to us to escape suffering under the lord, yeah?"
Clebang rolled his bloodshot eyes. They were unfocused and vividly red, giving off a chilling vibe. The second guy nodded frantically. Clebang said,
"Boss says kill you. Waiting this long is testing him, he says. You know he hates being tested."
"Wait, hold on, really..."
"But I'm giving you a chance. Three days, starting now. Sell what you can, grab the cash, meet at the forest entrance. Got it?"
"......Got it."
The second guy bowed his head.
"No need to head to the lord's mansion to sell, right?"
"......Right."
The second guy thought: No such thing as redemption.
"P-please... spare me..."
I never imagined I'd hear a begging plea from this burly, bearded musclehead. I sat in the center of the barracks, gripping my blood-soaked mace. A few bandits lay sprawled on the ground, while most had dropped their weapons and huddled together in one spot.
The bandit leader, his head half-smashed, kept repeating "spare me" like a cuckoo clock striking noon. I took a deep breath. To explain this mess, I had to go back about three days—to when I dispatched Sieri to the church in the territory.
Two main reasons for sending Sieri off. First, to free up my movements. Second, because what I was about to do couldn't reach her ears.
After shipping Sieri to the local church, with those four bandits in custody, I resolved to wipe out the entire bandit crew. Bandits rampaging next to the territory hurt my reputation and the people's trust. Hell, I couldn't fathom why original Lucius had let them slide this long.
In the original story, clearing Peta territory's bandits was a quest, location fixed—not randomized. Multi-run players or solo speedrunners beelined for the forest right after entering Peta lands, lopping off bandit heads first thing.
I was a seasoned player who knew the spot.
Thought about bringing Robin for safety, but these bandits seemed designed to highlight Lucius's incompetence and gullibility: average level in the teens, boss barely scraping level 20. At level 36, I could solo a kebab party with these chumps.
Guy left bandits and tax dodgers unchecked. What the hell did he even do all day?
So, with Sieri gone and Robin tied up training his men, I slipped out of the mansion unnoticed. Gripping my Staff of Truth, I trudged slowly toward the forest depths. A few bandit sentries came into view.
One with a bow, glancing around lazily, yawning—looked like a vet. Rookies handle watch best. I hid in the brush,
creeping up on him slowly. Close enough to check his status window: bandit crew's hunter role, level around 15.
Decent stats, not too invested in crew duties—could probably recruit him easy.
Clang!
I slipped behind and swung my mace. What use recruiting bandit trash? The hunter's head crumpled like a recycled aluminum can and he flopped dead on the spot. No one else around, so I pushed deeper into the forest bit by bit.
No more sentries en route. The only watchman I spotted before reaching the barracks entrance was the one I'd canned.
The barracks were huge—how the hell had they hidden this long? Like an elven enclave deep in the woods: massive fence wrapped in layered vines, camouflaged as a grassy barrier.
Two rookies stood guard at the entrance, heads held stiff, scanning alertly. I hugged the wall and moved toward them.
Clang!
They didn't notice till I was close. I smashed the mace into the face of the one next to me without hesitation. He wore a helmet, triggering my passive [Assault Trooper]—his head exploded into shards. Bone and flesh sprayed everywhere; the other sentry gasped and collapsed in horror.
Clang!
Before he could scream, I burst his head like a fireworks finale and charged into the barracks.
Inside, a booze bash was in full swing. In the center, the hulking bandit leader chugged from a bowl, crew cheering around him as he drank.
I snatched a spear from a sentry, aimed at the leader—head a full size bigger than most, easy target. They still hadn't clocked me. Before anyone turned, I hurled it with all my might.
The spear flew faster than an arrow, piercing his drinking bowl. Cheers died; the leader froze mid-gulp, liquor dribbling from the hole in his bowl.
"B-boss?"